How do I find out where a boat is registered in the Netherlands and in France?

[Scofen]

I have a boat in France, bought, it the Netherlands. Huge cluster$%#% with Boat Broker. Sale fell through and I sent transfer papers so now I do not know if I m registered owner of boat. Broker no longer returning Emails but wants money for back moorage plus money for a battery he installed without our permission. New supposed owner was paying moorage. Kept saying paperwork held up due to covid and then they said sale fell through. Willing to pay moorage if I can determine the boat is still in my name. I know I am at fault but cannot speak French and unaware of how things are done in France.

 

[Bouba]

Below is a list of where French boats are registered. The first two letters of the big number on the side of your hull should correspond with one of these. They indicate which Town your boat is registered in. You need to look up the ville, and find where they do Immatriculation plaisance (register pleasure boats). And then either go or get a French speaker to phone. I do not know if there is any central database. Take as much paperwork, photos, proof of id, that you can find. I know French bureaucracy has a reputation for being scary but sometimes they can be very helpful. Remember to wear your face mask and check their opening hours which be changed because of covid. I’m sorry but apart from that, I can’t think of anything else.
[*]AC Arcachon
[*]AD Audierne
[*]ARC Arcachon
[*]AU Audierne
[*]AY Auray
[*]BA Bayonne
[*]BL Boulogne
[*]BR Brest
[*]BX Bordeaux
[*]C Caen
[*]CAN Cancale
[*]CC Concarneau
[*]CH Cherbourg
[*]CL Calais
[*]CM Camaret
[*]CO Coursuelles
[*]CT Trouville
[*]D Dunkirk
[*]DI Dieppe
[*]DIN Dinant
[*]DK Dunkirk
[*]DP Dieppe
[*]DZ Douarnenez
[*]EL Etel
[*]F Fecamp
[*]G Granville
[*]GRA Gravelines
[*]GV Guilvinee
[*]HO Honfleur
[*]I Isigny
[*]IO Isle d'Oleron
[*]L Lannion
[*]LA La Rochelle
[*]LH Le Havre
[*]LO Lorient
[*]LS Sables d'Olonne
[*]MA Marseilles
[*]MN Marennes
[*]MT Martigues
[*]MX Morlaix
[*]NA Nantes
[*]NI Nice
[*]NO Noirmoutier
[*]P Paimpol
[*]PL Paimpol
[*]PV Port Vendres
[*]R Rouen
[*]SB St. Brieuc
[*]SM St. Malo
[*]SN St. Nazare
[*]ST Sete
[*]St.B St. Brieue
[*]St.VC St. Valery en Caux
[*]St.VSS St Valery sur Somme
[*]TL Toulon
[*]TR Trouville
[*]VA Vannes
[*]YE Isle D'Yeu

 

[Solent Sailor]

I am not the most familiar on here I expect with the French registration system , although I don't think that is the key point here. I take it from your email that:

1. You still have the boat.
2. You don't have the buyer's money - the sale didn't go through
3. You have already signed certain documents relating to its sale and the broker has them (or has sent them to the authorities)
4. Your broker is claiming to be out of pocket as a result of the failed sale
5. You want to know where you stand and ensure that you are still the registered owner of your boat

If the broker is refusing to engage with you (which seems strange because they want your money) then I would suggest you'd be better sending them a letter from a Notaire to up the ante a little. If I was drafting it (from a UK legal perspective) then I would be demanding back the sale paperwork and anything else belonging to you that the broker held. The broker holds those documents on trust for you - and as the sale didn't happen, if he filed a change of ownership with the authorities, then it was at best mistaken and at worst negligent (and his responsibility to rectify).

As for whether you owe him or the marina money - then it depends on what was agreed. I'm not sure why you say you are at fault. Do you have any email correspondence relating to this? If he fitted a battery because you had insisted on the boat being moved or made available for sea-trial and that wasn't possible without (for instance) then perhaps you should just pay up. Otherwise, stand your ground. As for the marina fees - normally these are your responsibility until such time as the sale concludes - but again, was there an agreement to the contrary (in which case, the marina should pursue the would-be buyer). All from an English law perspective - they do things differently in cheese-land.